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Alumni speak out after IWCC chooses to phase out sign language program

Facing declining enrollment, Iowa Western Community College is looking for ways to get more students on campus. At the same time, a decision to close one longtime program has some alumni upset with college leaders.

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Updated: 10:19 PM CDT Jul 22, 2015

Alumni speak out after IWCC chooses to phase out sign language program

Facing declining enrollment, Iowa Western Community College is looking for ways to get more students on campus. At the same time, a decision to close one longtime program has some alumni upset with college leaders.

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Updated: 10:19 PM CDT Jul 22, 2015

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WEBVTT ROB, BRANDI, BACK TO YOU. BRANDI: FACING DECLINING ENROLLMENT, IOWA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE LOOKS FOR WAYS TO GET MORE STUDENTS ON CAMPUS. ROB: AT THE SAME TIME, A DECISION TO CLOSE ONE LONG-TIME PROGRAM HAS SOME ALUMNI UPSET WITH COLLEGE LEADERS. BRANDI: KETV NEWSWATCH 7'S JEREMY MASKEL LIVE WITH A STORY JEREMY: BRANDI AND ROB, TONIGHT WE'RE GETTING OUR FIRST LOOK AT HOW IOWA COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE POOLING DATA. SHARING FORECASTS FOR ENROLLMENT, TO TRY AND PLAN MORE EFFECTIVELY. ALUMNI IN COUNCIL BLUFFS WONDER WHY THEIR PROGRAM CANNOT BE PART OF THE CAMPUS' FUTURE. THIS FALL, STAFF SAY FEWER STUDENTS WILL REGISTER TO BE A RIEVER. DON: MOST COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN IOWA HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME DECLINE. JEREMY: AT IOWA WESTERN, THE DECLINE'S ALMOST 11% FROM A HIGH IN 2012. STAFF SAY THE RECESSION CREATED A BUBBLE THOSE YEARS. BUT STILL, NUMBERS ARE DOWN 3% FROM 2010. TO BETTER FORECAST THOSE TRENDS, THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS SHARING DATA FROM 15 COMMUNITY COLLEGES, EVEN TRACKING HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS BY AREA. DON: SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WILL HELP US BETTER PLAN FOR ENROLLMENT PEAKS AND DECLINES. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT NEW WEBSITE, AND WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER. JEREMY: IOWA WESTERN SAYS IT'S SERVE THE AREA'S NEEDS. FOR INSTANCE, ITS GROWING ROBOTICS PROGRAM. AND EVERY YEAR, REGARDLESS OF OVERALL ENROLLMENT TRENDS, IOWA WESTERN EVALUATES EVERY PROGRAM. DON: IN SOME CASES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE PROGRAM CUTS, WHICH ARE NEVER AN EASY THING TO DO FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. JEREMY: DON KOHLER SAYS AFTER YEARS ON A WATCHLIST, THE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE PHASED OUT. STAFF SAY THE PROGRAM'S AT LESS THAN HALF-CAPACITY AND COSTS MORE PER STUDENT THAN OTHER PROGRAMS. BUT SOME ALUMNI DISAGREE PASSIONATELY. BETHANY: IT WAS REALLY DEVASTATING TO ME AND A LOT OF REALLY HARD OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND SEE THE SHORTAGE OF INTERPRETERS. JEREMY: WORKING AT A VIDEO RELAY SERVICE IN OMAHA, SEVERAL ALUMNI SAY THEY HOPE IOWA WESTERN CHANGES ITS MIND. BETHANY: WE JUST NEED MORE INTERPRETERS. PERIOD. JEREMY: WE WANT TO BE CLEAR. STAFF SAY THEY LOOK AT EACH PROGRAM EVERY YEAR, REGARDLE OF OVERALL ENROLLMENT, TO EVALUATE WHAT'S WORKING. AND IN THE INTERPRETER PROGRAM'S CASE, WHAT MAY NOT BE. PROGRAM ALUMNI PLEADED WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT A MONDAY

Alumni speak out after IWCC chooses to phase out sign language program

Facing declining enrollment, Iowa Western Community College is looking for ways to get more students on campus. At the same time, a decision to close one longtime program has some alumni upset with college leaders.